Matt Ryan NBA

2022 - 11 - 3

Post cover — Image courtesy of "The Athletic"

The unlikely journeyman Lakers clutch hero: Matt Ryan's whirlwind ... (The Athletic)

Matt Ryan's improbable journey has taken him from the cemetery to the NBA, and his newest stop is alongside LeBron James in L.A..

He shot 1-of-3 from deep, but the Lakers made just 10-of-40 3s in the loss to the [Warriors](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/warriors/), and James said afterward: “I mean, to be completely honest, we’re not a team that’s constructed of great shooting.” Ryan first landed on Ford’s radar in December, when Ford was hurrying through the Las Vegas airport on his way to catch the end of the annual G League showcase. [Phoenix](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/suns/) and is now out of pro ball. “Every day I’ve got to come in and prove I’m the best shooter in the gym,” Ryan said. The BPITW mention refers to [LeBron James](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/lebron-james-dxRvkEThnxpMbhcr/). Fast-forward from that fateful February day in the nation’s capital to the present. “Now I come here, and I’m playing with the best player in the world.” When Ryan arrived the week before in Washington to play for Boylen, he had no offer from the Celtics. [NBA](https://theathletic.com/nba/) Draft then, in 2021, didn’t get into the G League bubble. “I talked to Brad for like five minutes and then hung up the phone and started crying,” Ryan said. He told them about all the texts and calls to his phone and stepped away to return that call. The bus rolled toward the hotel, and a call came to Ryan’s phone.

Inside the Lakers' biggest shot: How Matt Ryan hit a crazy 3 (Los Angeles Times)

Let's hear from Lakers players and coach on how Matt Ryan got open for his three-pointer at the buzzer to force overtime in a win over the Pelicans.

And just to see him, just the look in his eyes, where he’s ready to do whatever he can to contribute, and that’s his main super power. Ryan: “I was able to get my feet down and get a clean release. So, I don’t want to sound cocky at all, but like I was able to get my feet down and get a shot off. As he caught the pass slightly over his head right in front of the Lakers’ bench, he looked down to check that his feet were behind the line. With it still in the air, the horn sounded and the clock expired. We were in game three and the shot I hit to win it, it was the same shot. You have to try to get it to the corner, knowing that the defender can’t be too close to you because they don’t want to … The earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic cost his chances to work out for NBA scouts, so he took jobs as a cemetery groundskeeper and as a delivery driver. 23, Ham defended putting guard Austin Reaves in the game by calling him “one of our better in-bounders.” Wednesday night, he put Reaves in the position to float the cross-court pass to corner. We come in on Monday and the low-minute guys and the guys who didn’t play, we played live. The general idea is to set a back screen for someone flaring to the far corner. But the play was definitely intended for him.”

Lakers' Matt Ryan Says He Feels Like LeBron After Game-Saving Shot (Sports Illustrated)

Ryan was of course referring to LeBron James, who finished the game with 20 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. But the moment was all his. Ryan explained ...

And after the win, he clearly wasn’t used to the attention he was getting. Ryan explained that coach Darvin Ham drew up the game-saving shot specifically for him and gushed over the experience. Ryan finished the game with 11 points on 4-for-11 shooting in 18 minutes of action. He also worked at a cemetery and coached a grassroots basketball team before getting his next playing opportunity. But the moment was all his. I don’t know when I earned it.”

Who is Matt Ryan, the DoorDash driver turned Lakers sharpshooter? (CBSSports.com)

Ryan's journey to Los Angeles is one of the crazier NBA stories you'll hear.

[Austin Reaves](/nba/players/2268681/austin-reaves/) at Summer League that they signed him to the active roster before camp even began. Ryan had the chance to compete for one of those empty roster spots this season, and he made the most of it. Ryan wasn't great, but his 35.5 percent mark from deep in the preseason combined with his performance at training camp got him the nod. In the hour (or rather, second) of greatest need, the Lakers gave the ball to a former delivery driver named [Matt Ryan](/nba/players/2203041/matt-ryan/), who swished a 3-pointer to send the game to overtime. [Denver Nuggets](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/DEN/denver-nuggets/) did. Ryan was the first play to swarm his more well-known teammate. Before you ask, no, he isn't the now-benched Indianapolis Colts quarterback moonlighting as a basketball player in search of a new gig, but his story is just as improbable. To supplement his income, he worked as a delivery driver for UberEats and DoorDash. [Los Angeles Lakers](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/LAL/los-angeles-lakers/) were staring a 1-6 start in the face Wednesday as they trailed the [New Orleans Pelicans](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/NO/new-orleans-pelicans/) 111-108 with just 1.3 seconds remaining on the clock. Of course, 2020 and 2021 were the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Surely it was four-time MVP [LeBron James](/nba/players/400553/lebron-james/), right? how about eight-time All-Star [Anthony Davis](/nba/players/1992786/anthony-davis/)?

Who is Matt Ryan? Lakers' forward and former DoorDash driver ... (Sporting News AU)

Here's what you need to know about Matt Ryan, the former DoorDash driver who delivered for the Lakers against the Pelicans on Wednesday.

But he saw little action in Celtics green; Ryan played just five minutes during his time in Boston, none of which came in the playoffs. He bounced around a bit, signing a deal with the Nuggets — and their G-League affiliate — before joining the Celtics on a two-way contract. Ryan took his talents to Vanderbilt for the 2018-19 season and saw increased playing time, making 25 starts as a junior. He spent his 2019-20 season in Chattanooga, turning out with the Mocs. But now he's here, sharing a court with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook and the rest of his Lakers teammates. It was a moment years in the making for Ryan.

Lakers forward Matt Ryan goes from DoorDash driver to hero (FOXSports.com)

Matt Ryan went from delivering for DoorDash to knocking down a game-tying 3-pointer for the Lakers on Wednesday night.

[ Brooklyn Nets](/stories/nba/nets-create-more-questions-with-steve-nash-split-ime-udoka-rumors) [Austin Reaves](https://www.foxsports.com/nba/austin-reaves-player) has been a reliable perimeter shooter, making 40% of his shot attempts from beyond the arc. Then he redshirted one season at [Vanderbilt](https://www.foxsports.com/college-basketball/vanderbilt-commodores-team), later starting for the Commodores in the 2018-19 season. Ryan then transferred and started at [Chattanooga](https://www.foxsports.com/college-basketball/chattanooga-mocs-team) in the 2019-20 season, where he averaged 15.4 points per game. [Notre Dame](https://www.foxsports.com/college-basketball/notre-dame-fighting-irish-team), where he primarily came off the bench for two seasons. "He stuck one foot in the ground inbounds and nailed it, and then he mean-mugs all around the court. [ National Basketball Association](/stories/nba/dwight-howard-joins-club-shay-shay-kobe-bryant-nba-top-75-shannon-sharpe) [Pelicans](https://www.foxsports.com/nba/new-orleans-pelicans-team) holding onto a 111-108 lead with 1.3 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Ryan hit an off-balanced 3-pointer off the inbounds pass to send the game to overtime. The Lakers have struggled mightily on the offensive end this season. He joined the On the season, he's averaging 6.2 points per game while shooting 42.3/45.0/00.0. He's gonna get the ball, oh he's shooting it.